For this assignment, I wanted to explore in what way the people around me have become knowledgeable in what they believe and what has influenced their unique perspectives. I also wanted to explore what beliefs they believed set them apart from other people.
(1) Who, or what, were the major influencers of what you believe politically?
(2) What is the most controversial political opinion you hold?
(3) How did you become informed on this topic?
(4) In what ways do you work to make a change in the government to lean towards these priorities?
(5) What are three fundamental political beliefs you’d like to share with me?
AY – This person is my sister and is 23 years of age. She currently works at a hospital and is working towards a degree in biology.
(1) “My parents were the main influencers in my life politically. They explained the world the way they saw it and taught me why they saw it that way.”
(2) “I don’t believe in feminism at all. I believe that women were made to fulfill a different role. Not a lesser one, just not the same one as a man.”
(3) “Through the Bible, my own parents, and through watching the world around me.”
(4) “I don’t think that coming at anyone politically with my own beliefs will have any affect. Instead, I share them with the people who ask, and explain myself if they don’t agree. “
(5) Below are the three things she listed:
1. I think the Government should be run by the people and it should allow them to make their own choices.
2. I think that people should be allowed to carry firearms if they apply for a license.
3. Equal rights should be for everyone. Not just the ones who complain the loudest.
My sister’s perspective is mainly influenced by the personal religious views she holds. She has deviated her views slightly from our parents, but mainly gets her information from them and her coworkers and doesn’t really look at the news much on her own. She is very conservative and holds traditional views of how a morally upstanding America should look like and believes very strongly in the traditional family.
JW – This is an old boss and friend who I had who I really respect the opinion of and who I still interact with regularly, even though I am no longer employed with them. They own two private businesses and are in the process of trying to start a third.
(1) “William F. Buckley, Thomas Sowell, Milton Friedman, Jonah Goldberg are people who I often source my beliefs and knowledge from.”
(2) “Federalism. People are best governed by those closer to them. Federal government should have less power and more power given as close to the individual level as possible (local). Fewer one-size-fits-all rules by far away bureaucrats that don’t understand local needs. More individual responsibility. People need to keep more of their paychecks.”
(3) “My business ethics class in college, then bonded with my professor.”
(4) “I work for functional local government, participate in small business as a driver of individual success for my employees.”
(5) “First, individual responsibility and character are fundamental, second, traditional family units are to be encouraged, third, free market capitalism (good) is not corporatism or corporate oligopoly (bad).”
Many of this person’s views come the experience and frustrations that come with trying to open businesses (especially during the pandemic). Much of their knowledge pursued is in this area of expertise.
AE – This person is a close friend of mine who has opinions I know that differ then my own. I met them this year in college, and they are studying computer science. They are two years younger than me.
(1) “From what I understand and know my parents likely played a major role in influencing what I believed in politically. Though, I think social media has had an indirect influence somehow on what I believe in as well.”
(2) “Despite the Second Amendment, I believe that there should be stricter gun control laws, such as more background checks, more regulations on more deadly and dangerous weapons, and banning high-capacity weapons.”
(3) “Just seeing news and whatnot about mass shootings and whatnot made me really think that there needs to be stricter laws. People seem like they aren’t responsible enough to wield such deadly weapons in their hands. I did my research on the topic of gun control laws and saw that there were advocates for laws being made stricter.”
(4) “The only way I know of how to make a change in the government is to vote, so that’s how I’ll work to make a change.”
(5) Their 3 answers are listed below
- Equality. People should always have the same opportunities as everyone else does and be treated equally.
- No rights or freedoms should be infringed or taken away.
- The less war is relied upon, the better the advancements for humanity as a whole.
From talking with my friend further, they have perspective sort of passively gained through a singular source of social media and don’t deviate beyond this source much. Their own parents did not discuss their political views much with them, mainly because they wanted to give them an opportunity to develop their own political views, but during highly controversial events or elections, they would hear what their parents’ perspectives were.
Post assignment question:
I think this was a good assignment in making deviate a bit outside the environment I am in to find perspectives that differ than my own, and perspectives of people in my life who I respect. I definitely feel it should be used in the future and like the conversations it sparked.